The Twisting Fates Raid
by AliasCWN
Summary: The team is sent out to grab a prisoner to question but things get complicated.
1. Chapter 1

**The Twisting Fates Raid**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 1

"Do you understand what we need?"

Troy nodded. "Some officer who can answer questions about their new supply lines." He answered with a degree of certainty.

"Good, then go out there and get us someone." Captain Boggs ordered.

"Yes sir." Troy ushered his men out of the captain's office before saying anything to any of them.

"Is it just me or did the captain seem a bit impatient?" Moffitt asked as they hit the street.

"It did seem that way didn't it?" Troy agreed with a smile. "I heard headquarters jumped all over him about those new convoy routes. They're afraid that Jerry will get enough supplies through to launch a new offensive. With our lines disrupted we aren't getting enough supplies through for our guys to drive them back if they attack us now."

"We've been hitting every convoy we see." Tully protested. "What more do they want from us?"

"We only see a fraction of the ones they send out." Troy answered. "Jerry is using a couple of new routes that we haven't discovered yet."

"Can't the flyboys find them?" Hitch asked.

"Not if they travel at night." Troy responded. "They hide the trucks in the mountains or cover them in the wadis during the day. They must be using rakes to hide their tracks."

"Trucks are pretty hard to hide, they're big." Tully pointed out.

"So is the desert." Troy answered. "Our planes can only cover so much of it before they start running low on fuel. We can't afford to waste the fuel to search empty desert. Getting our own fuel through is one of our biggest concerns right now. Headquarters is saving most of the planes to cover our convoys. It's not only the planes that need it; our trucks and armor are running out too."

"Aren't we getting anything through?"

"Sure Hitch, we get some through, but not enough. Don't forget, Jerry is getting some through too."

"The first one to run out loses the battle." Moffitt explained.

"So who are we going to grab to answer our questions?" Hitch asked.

"I don't know yet." Troy answered. "I guess we'll just have to go see who is available."

"Maybe we ought to send out invitations to see who wants to come to the party." Hitch suggested with a grin.

"That's not a bad idea." Troy admitted to everyone's surprise.

"What? You aren't serious are you Sarge?" Hitch's eyes widened with surprise. "Nobody's going to take us up on that offer. I can see it now; _Welcome, come to our base and tell us all of your secrets_. _Free room and board. _Yeah that will work." He snorted at the very idea.

The others laughed.

"I wasn't exactly planning on wording it like that." Troy admitted with a smile.

"Good," Hitch grunted, "because that idea is nuts."

Troy laughed at his driver. "But according to Tully nuts works for us."

Tully nodded his head wisely and chewed on his matchstick.

"I hope so," Hitch answered, "because the Captain wants a prisoner." He blew a bubble and popped it to emphasize his point.

"He'll get one." Troy promised. "Pack some extra explosives; we may have to stop a few trucks the hard way."

"I've heard it said that dead men don't talk Troy, what do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking that we could stop one of the convoys. We won't blow up all the trucks, just some of them. While the convoy is putting itself back together maybe we can grab the convoy commander. Who better to know the routes than the man in charge?"

"The man who sent them out." Moffitt suggested.

"Okay, maybe, but how do you expect to find that guy?" Troy asked. "The captain wants quick results."

Moffitt shrugged. "I wasn't suggesting that we actually capture him. You ask a question and I answered it." He looked at Troy with a twinkle in his eyes.

Troy saw the twinkle and tried to hide his answering smile with a gruff order for the privates. "Get the jeeps ready and pick up those extra explosives. Moffitt and I are going to update our maps and see if they have located any of the new routes yet. We'll meet you back at the jeeps."

"We could leave sooner if I go get the explosives from supply while the lads take care of the jeeps." Moffitt suggested.

"Okay, I'll be back as soon as I can and we can head out." Troy agreed.

While Troy was getting what he needed from maps Tully, Hitch and Moffitt got everything else that Troy had ordered. They had to settle for less than their regular ration of fuel much to their dismay. They were told that there was a shortage and everyone was getting short orders until further notice.

"How do they expect us to complete a mission with no fuel?" Hitch asked in disgust.

"We can steal some from the krauts." Tully suggested.

"That's if they have any." Moffitt warned.

"Hey, that's right! They're short too!" Hitch exclaimed as he realized that they were not the only ones who were low on supplies. "What are we going to do if we run out and they don't have any either?"

"I don't know." Tully replied seriously. "But one thing is sure; they're going to be closer to home than we are."

Hitch's happy face fell at Tully's comment.

"And closer to where they can refuel." Moffitt agreed. "And closer to help if they need it."

"Okay, okay, I get the picture." Hitch threw his hands up in surrender. "We'll just have to hope we find a target before we run out of fuel."

"Now you're getting it." The Brit smiled.

"You're awful cheerful about our chances." Hitch groaned.

"I am sorry." Moffitt smiled. "But I think it's important that we all understand what we're facing here. It won't be a walk in the park for any of us."

"Don't even talk about walking, you'll jinx us." Hitch groaned again.

"Cheer up lad, Troy will get us through." The Brit replied cheerfully.

"Yeah I know, I just hope he doesn't have us walking most of the way."

"Exercise is good for you." The Brit answered with a smile.

Hitch threw him a disgusted look and went back to packing the last of the supplies in the jeep.

Troy returned and noticed his driver's sour look. Turning to Moffitt he jerked his head toward Hitch. "Is something wrong?"

"We could only get half of our usual allotment of fuel." The Brit explained.

"Half? How do they expect us to do a job with no fuel?" Troy demanded.

"That's what I asked." Hitch declared as Troy stared at Moffitt.

Moffitt sighed. "I guess they have faith in you to figure it out."

Troy snorted. "We'll be lucky if we don't end up walking back."

"You won't let that happen will you Sarge?" Hitch turned pleading eyes on his sergeant.

Troy shook his head. "Not if I can help it, but I'm not sure how we're going to pull it off."

"You'll think of something." Hitch answered.

"Maybe we could disable one of the fuel trucks instead of blowing it up when we hit the convoy." Tully suggested. "We could salvage some of their fuel."

"We can try Tully but Jerry might fight for his fuel if he's low too."

"All the trucks carry extra cans." Hitch added hopefully. "Maybe we could grab a few of those."

"Again," Troy answered, "Jerry might not give us a chance."

"It's worth a shot Troy." Moffitt agreed.

"Okay." Troy sighed. "If we get a chance we'll try to liberate some of Jerry's fuel. Feel better?"

"Yeah I do." Hitch nodded. "I don't much like the idea of getting stuck out there with an empty fuel tank and krauts crawling all over the place."

"Okay." Troy agreed again. "I got it. We'll try to get some extra fuel before we get too low. Are the jeeps ready?"

"Ready Sarge." Hitch nodded. "We got everything else you ordered."

"Then let's head out. Maybe we can find a convoy close by to supply us with a target."

"Did you get any of the new routes?" Moffitt asked.

Troy nodded and spread the map out on the hood of his jeep. Using his finger he traced the route for the others. "This one is the closest."

"But that's all hills." Moffitt pointed out. "The jeeps are going to use more fuel in the hills than they would on the open desert."

"I agree." Troy nodded. "But on the flat we're going to have to chase them, in the hills we can set up an ambush. Maybe we could even sneak in at night and take what we need."

"What and who." Moffitt agreed thoughtfully. "Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone."

Troy grinned. "My thoughts exactly."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Twisting Fates Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 2

"Here they come." Moffitt dropped down next to Troy and followed the progress of the convoy.

"It's almost daylight." Troy glanced at his watch. "If they stick with the routine they've been following they'll be looking for a place to camp for the day.

"They'll need to get under cover before it's light enough for the planes to fly." Moffitt agreed.

Troy nodded. "That doesn't give them much time to reach their hole and crawl in."

"There are actually quite a few places where they can take cover for the day in this area alone." Moffitt mused. "They can hide in these hills without too much extra cover."

"Can we reach those places in the daylight without being spotted?"

"Possibly, but I would much rather attempt it in the dark."

Troy sighed. "All right, we'll follow them and see where they stop. If we can grab their commander we will. Otherwise we'll have to think of something else."

"It's quite likely that their commander will be supervising the concealment of the convoy; we may not have a chance to grab him before the camp quiets for the day." Moffitt warned.

Troy knew that if the commander supervised the convoy's concealment it was unlikely that he would separate himself from his men until well after daylight. Grabbing him would be extremely risky if that were the case.

"At least they won't be hard to follow." Moffitt commented. "Some of those halftracks would benefit greatly from the care of a good mechanic."

"That works for us." Troy replied. "They won't be able to hear our jeeps over the noise they make."

Moffitt watched as the convoy continued past their vantage point. "There are at least four trucks carrying fuel unless I miss my guess."

"That may be but I don't see how we're going to get any of that fuel without getting caught. They'll have guards watching the trucks while everyone else sleeps."

"Hitch had a good idea. Perhaps we could reach one of the trucks and relieve it of its spare gasoline can."

Troy nodded. "But the target comes first."

"Of course."

"Okay, let's go. We can follow them by sound alone. Maybe we'll get lucky and we can complete this assignment today."

The two sergeants returned to the jeeps and ordered the drivers to follow the sounds of the convoy. The trail was easy to follow, the trucks left a path wider than the jeeps. Hitch and Tully concentrated on following the path in the dark while Troy and Moffitt listened for any change in the sounds made by the convoy. When there was a slight change in the pitch of the engines the sergeants called for their drivers to fall back and find cover.

The two drivers slipped into a wadi and shut off their engines while the sergeants took binoculars and went to look for the convoy. They could hear the trucks pulling into position for the day, their engines rattling as they moved slowly into their places. Voices were raised as orders were given to cover the trucks. A squad car backtracked for several hundred feet with a rake to erase the tracks that left the road and led into the wadi. A few minutes later guards appeared on top of the hill overlooking the camp. The sergeants watched as the guards found what shelter they could from the rising sun and settled in for the day.

"That's where they're going to spend the day." Troy nodded in satisfaction. "Let's try to circle around and see if we can get a better look at the camp."

Nearly an hour later they were looking down into a small wadi where some of the trucks had taken shelter. "This is not all of them. They must be using more than one wadi." Moffitt noted unnecessarily. Soldiers were draping nets over the last of the trucks to hide them from the planes.

Troy used his glasses to search the camp for someone who looked like he was in charge. Finally he spotted a likely candidate. There was a captain talking to a lieutenant as they watched the men arrange the netting. He nudged Moffitt to draw his attention to the officer.

"I don't recognize him." Moffitt whispered.

"I don't either." Troy admitted. "But that doesn't mean that he can't answer our questions."

"He's leaving."

"Okay, let's go. He could be heading for his tent to get some rest. Maybe we'll get a chance to grab him and take him back to the jeeps."

They followed the captain to one of the other wadis nearby where he went directly to a small tent that someone had set up under the netting. Troy grinned at their good fortune. The tent was set back along the slope of the hill and had brush growing behind it that would make good cover. The sergeant began to plot the path that they would use to reach their objective.

The German soldiers finished their preparations and found cover to wait out the daylight. Like the guards, they found shelter that allowed them to stay out of sight so their movement would not be spotted by any passing planes. Troy noted that the guards were staying stationary instead of patrolling the perimeter.

"He doesn't want their movements to draw attention to his camp." Moffitt guessed.

"They'll have a hard time staying awake in this heat after being on the road all night. Letting them move might have helped them stay alert. Good for us, bad for them."

"Are we going to try it then?"

"Yeah." Troy nodded. "After all they've done to make it easy for us it would be a shame to let it all go to waste."

Moffitt turned away to hide his smile. "Really Troy, that's a terrible reason to go ahead."

Troy grinned. "All right, how about we go in to invite that commander to our party?"

The Brit nodded solemnly. "I think that's a splendid idea. We can inform him that he is the guest of honor; that should impress him."

"Let's hope so, he isn't going to have much choice in the matter."

The two men circled wide of the guards and used the hills to shield their movements. When they once again neared the camp they were behind the tent where the commander slept. Troy found the trees he had marked as a reference point and paused to let Moffitt catch up. "We'll go in here. Once we have him we'll head straight for the jeeps. If they don't notice him missing right away we can try for the fuel."

The Brit nodded. With one final check of the area around the tent they began their approach.

Captain Bachman was just settling into his cot for some much needed rest. His junior officer would handle security until they were ready to pull out at nightfall. He wanted to get to sleep before the sun heated his tent to the point where it was too uncomfortable to doze off. He heard a faint tearing sound and thought about investigating but before he could move the situation became self-explanatory. He tried to roll off his cot and reach for his weapon at the same time. By the time he thought about yelling the window of opportunity had passed.

Two men rushed through the hole in the rear of his tent and crossed to his cot. One of them hit him over the head with a rifle. Captain Bachman collapsed onto his cot with a soft grunt.

When he opened his eyes next he was bouncing around in a fast moving jeep. His hands were bound and he was tied to the seat so that he couldn't fall out. The jarring made him wince after the blow to his head. He glanced over to see a tall, blond private steering the vehicle with a single-minded intensity.

He wasn't sure how long he had been out. The sun was up and it had already heated the desert sand to scorching temperatures. The distant hill shimmered as the heat waves rose from the desert floor and distorted his view. Using the hills as a reference point he tried to determine which direction his captors had gone after invading his tent and taking him prisoner. His final calculation made him smile with renewed hope. They were still in German territory and they had a long way to go.

"Hitch, let's pull up and cool the engines." The sergeant in the back leaned forward and tapped the driver on the shoulder. Captain Bachman didn't speak English so he didn't know why they were stopping but it suited him just fine. The longer they spent in German territory the better his chances of being rescued.

The driver stopped the jeep on a rock covered hill and immediately went around to the front of the vehicle to lift the hood. At first the captain thought that they had engine trouble but it soon became apparent what was happening. He had hoped that it was engine trouble but he was happy with any delay for any reason.

"You can get out and stretch your legs if you want." A second sergeant told him in German. He turned and was surprised to realize that the second sergeant was English. Bits and pieces of conversations came together as he watched the four men go about their business with no apparent orders needed. It was clear that they were used to working together. He eyed the vehicles and remembered hearing about a team that used 50 caliber machine guns mounted in the rear of their jeeps. Two jeeps, four men, one of them English; the memories that came flooding back weren't comforting ones. He knew who had captured him, at least by reputation. He frowned as his hopes of being rescued plummeted with the realization.

"How much further?" Troy asked Moffitt.

The English sergeant shrugged and looked toward the low hills in front of them. "I wish we had had time to try for that fuel."

"They missed their commander too quickly." Troy answered. "We couldn't risk it."

"I know." Moffitt smiled. "But I still wish we could have managed to get at least one can. I suppose we will just have to make due."

The two sergeants pulled out a map and began to look at it as Captain Bachman walked to a rock and took a seat in the shade.

"Sarge!"

The guard gave an urgent call and Captain Bachman looked up at the same time as the sergeants.

"A column headed this way."

Captain Bachman didn't know what was being said but if the look on their faces was any indication it was the opportunity he had been hoping for ever since he awoke as a prisoner. He jumped to his feet and took off running.

He didn't look back but he could hear the sergeants hot on his trail. He dodged between the rocks and the scrub trees in an attempt to delay their departure. He didn't really expect to get away, but any delay gave the German forces more time to reach them.

A rock turned under his foot and he fell heavily on one knee. With a shove of his hands he regained his feet and continued to run. The bruise on his knee made him limp painfully but he kept running. One of the sergeants caught up with him and tackled him to the ground. The second sergeant was right there to keep him from breaking free as the two of them tumbled down the hill. He was pulled to his feet and shoved toward the jeeps as the small vehicles slid to a stop beside them.

Captain Bachman was shoved into the seat of the first jeep and the sergeants separated to the different vehicles. They were barely seated before the jeeps took off throwing them off balance. The sergeant behind him grabbed at his shoulder as he fell to the side and nearly tumbled to the ground. He used his bound hands to support himself as the tiny vehicles raced for cover. All he could do was hang on for dear life and pray that he survived the mad dash across the desert floor.

The drivers got the jeeps behind the hills but it was too late, the German column had already spotted them and was even now giving chase.

The lead jeep headed for a cut in the hills, looking for a way around the fast approaching column. They reached the cut and the way looked clear, the captain feared that they had eluded their pursuit. The sudden appearance of German vehicles on both sides of them came as much as a surprise to him as it did to the Allies. Both jeeps swerved sharply, nearly throwing him from the vehicle again. He was scrambling for a place to hold on when the driver slammed on the brakes.

Two halftracks blocked their path even as the others closed in from the sides. The drivers reversed their vehicles but three patrol cars cut off their escape in that direction. Captain Bachman smiled widely as the four Allied soldiers raised their hands in surrender.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Twisting Fates Raid**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 3

Captain Dietrich walked along the length of his column making sure that everything was in order. The prisoners had been bound and searched and separated into four different vehicles, each as far apart as he could put them.

"How did you find me Captain?" Captain Bachman walked beside Dietrich as he made his inspection.

"Pure luck Captain." Dietrich admitted. "We received the message that you had gone missing and someone reported finding jeep tracks. I merely waited here because I knew that they would want to get you back to their base as quickly as possible. We saw the dust as they approached and we were able to get into position before their arrival. We thought they had spotted us when they stopped but lucky for you that was not the case. We were able to close the trap and capture them."

"I am grateful for your help Captain. I had visions of being interrogated, especially when I realized that one of them spoke German."

"Sergeant Moffitt." Dietrich nodded.

"You know him?"

"Yes. Unfortunately this in not the first time I have encountered this particular group. They would have treated you well Captain. To my knowledge they have never mistreated a prisoner. I suppose you would have been questioned once you reached their base." Dietrich explained.

"Why do you suppose they wanted me?"

"I don't know." Dietrich responded. "I will ask but they aren't usually very cooperative. I doubt that they will answer any of our questions."

"The Gestapo can get them to talk."

"Perhaps." Dietrich agreed uneasily. "But they are not here. If it comes to that I may have to send them to the Gestapo but there are other options to try first."

"Such as?"

"The sergeant is very protective of his men. Perhaps we can use that to get the information we want."

Captain Bachman nodded. "Threatening to kill the others might convince the sergeant to talk, but then again, the sergeant might not care as much as you think."

"We shall see Captain. I will return you to your convoy before I take my prisoners and return to my own base."

"Thank you Captain, I do need to get those supplies delivered."

"And I need to return to my base, if the Rat Patrol is after prisoners I think I should increase security. There may be an Allied offensive in the near future. They could have been sent out to get a prisoner to ask about our numbers and our defenses."

"I wouldn't have been able to tell them any of that." Captain Bachman answered smugly. "They were wasting their time."

"Perhaps they didn't know that." Dietrich reasoned, but something nagged at his mind. Why had the Rat Patrol chosen Captain Bachman?

"Well I guess it doesn't matter now, they are your prisoners; the threat is over."

"Hardly." Dietrich scoffed. "If the Allies sent Troy and his men for a prisoner then they are looking for something. They won't be deterred by this setback. The sooner we find out what it is that they are seeking the sooner we can eliminate the threat."

Captain Bachman studied each prisoner as they walked past. They looked defiant but not worried. "They don't appear to be too worried about being captured."

"They have been captured before." Dietrich answered with a nod. "More than once. They are resourceful soldiers and always manage to escape and come back to harass us again. It's quite annoying actually. Perhaps this time will be different."

"If you find out why they chose me I would like to know."

"It's possible that you were just a target of opportunity. Perhaps they wanted a prisoner and you just happened to be in the area. It's entirely possible that they saw an opportunity and couldn't resist the temptation."

"Do you really believe that?"

"No, not really. It's possible, but in my experience Sergeant Troy doesn't do anything without a good reason. He certainly wouldn't have risk his men on a whim." They passed Troy and Dietrich paused to watch the sergeant. "They are a well-disciplined unit, I truly believe that they had an agenda and you filled their need. They usually get what they want. Why they wanted you remains the question."

"Well I do hope you get an answer." Captain Bachman replied. "If I was the intended target I would like to know why."

"I will certainly ask," Dietrich repeated, "but as I said earlier, they don't usually answer questions.

"Then send them to the Gestapo!"

"That would not be my first choice." Dietrich stated firmly. "I prefer to solve my own problems."

"You may not have a choice in the matter." Captain Bachman warned. "This could be the beginning of something important. Something we need to know."

"Then I will find out." Dietrich answered. "Now, if you are ready, we should be heading back to your convoy. I have already radioed ahead and told them that you will be rejoining them, they are waiting."

"Waiting? The lieutenant should have gone on without me, that convoy must get through!"

"And it will." Dietrich assured him. "These men are no longer a threat and I know of no other Allied units in the area. Your convoy can continue as soon as it gets dark. I assume you will continue to travel at night? Your lieutenant was only waiting for darkness before continuing, as you ordered."

"Very well Captain Dietrich, return me to my convoy."

Captain Bachman watched the hills as the column crossed the desert. He hadn't told Dietrich where his convoy was hidden, preferring to wait until the other captain asked for directions. To his surprise, the column went directly to the wadis where his trucks were parked with no need to search for them.

"How did you know where to find my convoy?" He asked. "Did one of my men tell you our location? I will have the head of any man who leaked our coordinates."

"Relax Captain." Dietrich replied. "There was no wind today. We simply followed the jeep tracks in reverse. Sergeant Troy and his men came directly from your convoy."

"Then anyone can follow the tracks." Captain Bachman frowned.

"That's true. It is most likely how Sergeant Troy and his men found your convoy in the first place. That many trucks leave deep tracks."

"I was told that we would have protection." The other captain complained.

"You do have protection." Dietrich responded. "My column was out here to protect your route. Lucky for you I might add."

"They should never have been allowed to get to me."

"This is a very big desert and they are only two small jeeps. We were lucky to have intercepted them. There are those who believe that the sergeant and his men can vanish into thin air. It's not true of course, but it sometimes seems that way."

"I told headquarters that using this route was too dangerous. I suggested several other routes we could use but they were adamant that this one would be safe. Now look what happened."

"It was one instance." Dietrich argued. "And the unit that found you has been captured. It seems to me that you are overthinking this."

"We shall see Captain; I intend to make a full report as soon as I reach my destination."

"I fully intend to do the same." Dietrich replied. "Only first I want to know just what happened, and why." Dietrich looked over to where Captain Bachman's tent was standing. "Would you mind if I had a look around? I would like to see how those two sergeants were able to reach your tent unnoticed. Then I would like to talk to your security officer."

"Suit yourself." Captain Bachman agreed. "I am going to return to my tent and try to get some rest. This has all been very stressful."

"Of course Captain. When I am finished I will take my prisoners and allow you to continue with your duties. I am only a radio call away if you should need any further assistance."

"If that unit was the only one out here why would I require further assistance?"

"Planes, bandits, breakdowns, the list is long Captain. But I won't keep you from your rest. I will conduct my investigation and be on my way so that my column doesn't attract attention to your convoy." Dietrich excused himself and went to find someone to walk him through what had transpired.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Twisting Fates Raid **

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 4

"I am curious Sergeant, why that particular officer?"

The four prisoners had been locked in two small cells as far apart as space allowed. Dietrich faced the cell that held the sergeants.

Troy smiled at the question and shrugged. "He was right there."

"But why were you there?"

"Just out for a drive Captain. My men get bored if I don't keep them busy. Besides, it's fun keeping you on your toes."

Having gotten the type of answer he had expected Dietrich just nodded at the explanation. "I don't suppose there is anything you would like to tell me?"

"That other guy didn't sound very friendly, I'd watch my back if I were you."

"Thank you for the advice Sergeant but I think I can handle Captain Bachman." Dietrich replied stiffly.

Troy smiled and shrugged. "It's your funeral."

"He is a German officer."

"So? There are good and bad officers on both sides. I got the impression that he was one of those that couldn't be trusted."

"Of course you did, you are the enemy and you kidnapped him. He has an impeccable record."

"Checked did you? Do you do that with every officer you meet or just with the ones you don't trust?"

"We are not having this conversation Sergeant. If you thought he was such a bad officer why did you kidnap him?"

Troy grinned. "We grabbed him before we got to know him. To be honest Captain, I didn't like him all that well myself."

"Then why not release him?" Troy hesitated and Dietrich held his breath as he waited for Troy to respond.

The sergeant sighed. "We were on the tail end of a recon and low on gas. I thought we could trade the captain for a couple of cans from the convoy."

"Then why didn't you try to trade him?"

"Because his lieutenant missed him and started yelling orders. It didn't seem as if he would be in the mood to listen to any kind of deal. We decided to try to reach our lines on the fuel we had. We still had the captain if we ran into trouble and needed some leverage."

Dietrich looked at Troy suspiciously. "Why are you answering my questions Sergeant?"

Troy glanced at Moffitt before replying. "I overheard that captain talking about the Gestapo. I figured if we told you the truth we could avoid that unpleasantness. Nothing that I told you really helps you in any way. I figured it couldn't hurt to tell you and it might help us in the long run."

"I see. Why don't I believe you?"

Troy shrugged. "Maybe it's your suspicious nature."

"Make yourself comfortable Sergeant, you're going to be here a while." With that Dietrich took his leave. Knowing Troy, the explanation that he had given was plausible. Dietrich called Captain Bachman's convoy and had someone check the jeeps for fuel. He breathed a little easier when he was told that the gas cans were all empty and the jeeps themselves had been running on fumes. Captain Bachman had had the tanks refilled so that they could take the jeeps along as spoils of war. Still, something didn't seem right. He sent for his head of security and made a decision he hoped he wouldn't regret.

"Lieutenant Guiles reporting sir."

"Lieutenant, I have a problem." Dietrich began. "I have several prisoners in my cells, and I need answers. I'm afraid that I don't have the fortitude needed to get the answers from them. That is where you come in."

"You want me to question the prisoners sir?"

"Yes Lieutenant, that is what I am saying."

The lieutenant nodded his understanding. "What is it you wish to know Captain?"

Dietrich explained the situation. "I need to know what they were sent to do and why they chose Captain Bachman. Was he a target of opportunity as they claim or was he chosen for another reason?"

"I understand Captain, I will do my best." The officer paused. "Will you be joining me for the interrogation or should I just report to you when I have the answers you want?"

"I have other things that need my attention, just report to me with the results."

"Very well Captain. How far may I go to get the answers?"

Dietrich paused, his need for answers vying with his sense of morality. Duty demanded that he get results. "Don't kill any of them."

"Understood sir."

Dietrich listened to the lieutenant's footsteps as he left the office and walked down the hall. He almost called him back but the need for answers held his tongue.

The captain spent the entire day trying to keep himself busy so that he wouldn't think about the prisoners. He finished all of his daily reports and read all of the incoming notices. Finally, unable to stand it any longer, he threw his pencil on his desk and rose to his feet. Telling his clerk that he would be right back he headed to the cells to check on the lieutenant's progress.

He found Troy and the privates lying on their cots bloody, beaten and defiant. They all glared at him with swollen faces through eyes that were barely open. He felt a pang of regret that there hadn't been any other way to get the answers he needed. The evidence suggested that Troy had told him the truth earlier but he had to know for sure. Seeing that Sergeant Moffitt was still missing he went in search of his lieutenant and the last prisoner.

The interrogation room was empty when he arrived. Puzzled, he looked around carefully. There was fresh blood on the floor around the single chair in the room. He ignored that, having already braced himself for that sight. The thing he found most interesting was that the chair was lying on its side and one of the restraints used to hold prisoners was still fastened.

Further examination of the room revealed more blood, only this time it was along the wall, where no blood should have been. He was bent over examining that evidence when he heard the thump. Pulling his sidearm he advanced cautiously toward the closet door. There was another thump and a muffled cry. Stepping to the side he reached over and opened the door. Two of his men were bound and gagged and stuffed into the small space available in the storage area. Searching for something to cut the ropes he hurriedly freed the two men and stepped back as they removed the gags.

"What happened?"

"The prisoner, he escaped. He took Lieutenant Guiles hostage."

"Alert the guards but do so quietly. Have them move into position as quickly and quietly as possible."

"Where Captain?"

"The cells!" Dietrich nearly shouted. "He went back to the cells to free his friends. If we hurry we can wait for them to come out and recapture them then."

"Yes sir." The guards ran from the room to do his bidding. Dietrich hurried back toward the cellblock while formulating a plan. He was fairly certain that the guards on the cellblock would be killed or at least left behind when Troy and his men made their break. That left Lieutenant Guiles, the man responsible for the beatings, as the only hostage. He wasn't sure what Troy would do with the lieutenant. He made his plans accordingly.

He positioned his men around the building with orders to wait for his signal. They barely had time to find cover before Troy opened the door and stuck his head out to check the street. Dietrich gripped his luger tightly and waited for the Allied soldiers to clear the building. He noted that they were all moving stiffly but they looked ready to run or to fight.

The fourth man stepped through the door and allowed it to close behind him. Troy rose from his crouch and motioned for his men to follow him. He stepped away from the building into the empty street.

"Drop your weapons Sergeant! Don't try to return to the building. My men have orders to shoot to kill if any of your men try to run or attempt to open that door."

The four Allied soldiers froze, shock clear on their battered faces.

"Don't be a fool Sergeant." Dietrich ordered as Troy hesitated. "You will only get your men killed." He knew he had them when he saw Troy's shoulders slump. The sergeant gave his men a nod and they all allowed their stolen weapons to fall to the ground. Dietrich's men rushed forward and took them prisoner again. Dietrich stepped out of the shadows as his men surrounded the four men. "Where is Lieutenant Guiles?"

"Inside." Troy answered.

"Alive?"

"Yeah, he's alive." Troy growled.

"And the guards?"

"They're alive too." The sergeant replied sullenly. "We knocked them out and left them in the cells."

Dietrich nodded gratefully. "Thank you Sergeant."

"Don't thank me." Troy replied gruffly. "We didn't do it for you."

"But I am still grateful." Dietrich replied. "Now, turn around and head back inside. We will release the guards and you can return to your cells to rest. I am sure you can use the peace and quiet."

"Quiet." Troy huffed. "What are you going to do, move the interrogation room to the other side of the base?"

"I am sorry about that Sergeant, but I needed answers."

"Then you've got a problem because you didn't get any of the answers you wanted."

"That doesn't surprise me Sergeant, but I had to try."

The four men were returned to their cells while Dietrich questioned Lieutenant Guiles about what had gone wrong.

"I thought that he was unconscious." The officer explained. "He was as stubborn as the others and I thought that I may have gone too far with him. When he collapsed I immediately leaned down to check on him. I'm sorry Captain; he used me to get the guards to drop their weapons. After he tied them and put them in the closet he took me to the cellblock where he again used me to force the guards to drop their weapons. They only did so to save my life. I thought we were all going to be killed."

"An understandable expectation considering what it was I had you doing." The captain sighed. "Did you get any answers from any of them?"

"No sir," the officer shook his head, "all they would give me were their names, ranks, and service numbers."

"I expected as much." Dietrich admitted. "But I had to try."


	5. Chapter 5

**The Twisting Fates Raid **

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 5

The knock on the door drew Dietrich out of his daze. He had spent the morning trying to decide what to do about the prisoners. After returning them to their cells he had ordered all interrogations stopped. He doubted that the lieutenant's methods would produce any useful results anyway. He had even said as much in the report he was attempting to finish. At the knock he sighed and pushed the report aside. "Come in."

Two Gestapo agents walked into his office. They motioned for him to remain seated as they took the chairs facing his desk. "It has come to our attention that you have an American commando team locked up in your cells." The older of the two agents stated without preamble.

"I do." Dietrich admitted.

"Why weren't they shot as soon as you realized who they were?"

Dietrich sighed. "Because I needed information from them. I had hoped to discover the nature of their assignment."

"They kidnapped Captain Bachman from his tent. That seems to indicate that they were after him."

"Perhaps." Dietrich acknowledged. "Or perhaps he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was simply a target of opportunity. It doesn't really tell me what they were after."

"Have you questioned them?"

"Yes, I had one of my lieutenants interrogate them."

"And what if anything did he find out?"

"Nothing useful." Dietrich admitted. "The sergeant did tell me that they planned to trade the captain for fuel to get back to their lines. Their vehicles were nearly out of gasoline and they had empty fuel cans in the rear of each jeep."

"I don't suppose you would mind if we tried to get them to talk?" The older agent suggested. His tone made it clear that Dietrich really had no choice.

With a resigned sigh Dietrich nodded.

"Good." The older agent grunted as he got to his feet. "Have them loaded into a truck; we would like to return to headquarters as soon as possible. Our superiors want to know what the Americans know that we don't."

"May I ask how you heard about them?"

"Captain Bachman sent us a message. He seemed to think that you weren't taking the matter seriously." The younger agent answered. "It seems he was right."

"I've taken the matter very seriously." Dietrich responded while trying to keep his anger under wraps. "I have had them questioned but they refuse to answer any of our questions. They are very stubborn."

Both agents smiled. "We like the stubborn ones. It takes longer to make them talk but it is so much more satisfying when they break."

Dietrich did his best to hide his reaction to that comment. "I will have the truck brought around. How many guards will you need?"

"Four prisoners?" The older agent asked.

"Yes."

"Two in the back with the prisoners and a driver should suffice. Our driver can double as a guard if the need arises."

"I suggest that you double that number." Dietrich warned. "They escaped from their cells last night. This particular group is very dangerous."

"Two will be enough Captain. We aren't planning on giving them any opportunity to escape. We will be driving straight through to headquarters."

"Very well." Dietrich agreed with a bow of his head.

"We understand that Captain Bachman has the vehicles they were driving."

"Yes." Dietrich nodded. "He claimed them as spoils of war to make up for the trouble they caused him."

"Indeed." The older agent huffed. "If he had set up proper security he could have avoided the entire ordeal."

"At least he was smart enough to alert us to their presence here." The younger agent remarked as he watched Dietrich. "If we hadn't arrived you might have allowed them to escape."

"We recaptured them almost immediately." Dietrich responded.

"They should never have been given an opportunity to leave the cells." The younger agent declared. "We won't make that mistake."

Dietrich ground his teeth and held his tongue.

"The truck Captain." The older agent reminded him.

Dietrich reached for his phone and ordered a truck with a driver and two guards. He walked to the cells to personally supervise the transfer of custody of the prisoners. All four men were bound and herded to the truck under heavy guard. Each one glared at Dietrich as they passed where he stood. They still looked rough but he knew that a good night's rest had restored their energy and hardened their resolve to escape. He made a mental note to warn the guards to be extra vigilant.

As they stepped up to the back of the truck Troy noticed the two Gestapo agents waiting for them. "When you move the interrogation room you don't fool around do you Captain?"

His comment drew the attention of his men. They eyed the agents and then turned back to give him a defiant glare as if the first one had been too lenient.

The sarcasm wasn't lost on Dietrich. "This was not my doing Sergeant." He kept his voice low so that the two agents couldn't hear what was being said. "Captain Bachman arranged this for you."

"We'll be sure to thank him the first chance we get."

"If I was you sergeant I would forget Captain Bachman and try to figure out the best way to help yourself and your men."

"You mean you think they'll let us live if we cooperate?" Troy sounded gruff.

"There is always that chance." The captain replied.

"No thanks. Not interested."

"It was only a suggestion but you'd do well to consider it. I can't tell you what to do."

"That's right, you can't." Troy snapped. His worry for his men made his tone harsh. "You worry about your men Captain, I'll worry about mine."

Dietrich nodded and stepped away. Troy and his men were pushed toward the truck and helped over the tailgate. The two guards assigned to watch them followed them in.

"I see what you mean about having them interrogated." The older agent spoke from behind Dietrich. "But those methods seldom work. We have perfected fool proof methods that will get us the answers we desire."

"I'm sure you do." Dietrich answered. _But will it be the truth or just something they told _you_ to make the pain stop? _The question went unvoiced but he couldn't help but wonder if that would be the case. "Do your prisoners ever survive the interrogation?" He asked instead.

The agent shrugged. "Once we get the desired information their survival is of no importance." He smiled. "By the time we are through they are usually grateful for death to claim them. The end result works out for both sides."

"We will inform headquarters of your cooperation Captain." The other agent interrupted. "There were those who thought you might try to resist our offer to take over the interrogations."

"They are enemy soldiers." Dietrich answered. "Why would I refuse to allow you to take them?"

"Why indeed?" The younger officer wondered.

"You have a long drive, perhaps you should get started." Dietrich suggested curtly. "It will be dark before you get there as it is."

"You're quite right Captain, it is a long drive and we still have one stop to make."

"A stop?"

"Yes. We have to meet Captain Bachman's convoy on its return trip. We have orders to pick up Captain Bachman and take him to headquarters with us. He has some interesting ideas about why he was chosen as a hostage."

"I'm sure that he can give you a better idea than I can." The captain replied. "He seemed convinced that he was always the intended target. Perhaps he knows something that I am not privy to."

"You don't agree with that theory?"

"No, I don't, but I am sure you will get to the bottom of it. That is once the prisoners talk."

"Rest assured Captain, we will find out." The two agents turned and headed for their vehicle. Their driver hurried to open the car doors for them. He closed the doors behind them and quickly took his seat behind the wheel.

Dietrich watched as the two vehicles drove away. The last he saw of them was Sergeant Troy watching the guards with a calculated frown on his face. He turned away to resume his duties of running the base. His thoughts went to the men assigned as guards. He hoped that they remembered his warning to stay alert.

With his prisoners gone he could once again concentrate on all of the details it took to keep his base running smoothly. The columns leaving the base daily to provide cover for the many convoys needed to be arranged. Once again he decided to lead the column himself rather than delegate the duty to someone else. He went to check the vehicles to make sure they were refueled and ready to go.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Twisting Fates Raid **

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 6

Troy settled back on the hard bench and watched Dietrich's base disappear behind them. A glance at his men reassured him that they were all ready if a chance to escape presented itself. His quick glance revealed that Hitch was already working on the ropes that bound his hands. Tully was watching the guards and keeping his body in front of Hitch to hide his movements. Moffitt was watching the guards while he worked on his own bonds.

Troy shifted in his seat, drawing the attention of both guards. He shifted again while they watched, letting them get used to seeing him move. He would keep it up until they told him to stop, wearing away at their vigilance.

They had been on the road for nearly an hour when suddenly one of the guards caught Hitch moving. Realizing that he was up to something the guard rose and moved to stand in front of the blond. Calling to the second guard the first one reached for Hitch's shoulder to pull him forward on the seat.

Troy moved again, drawing the attention of the second guard before he could support the first guard.

Tully exploded into action, diving from his seat to head-butt the guard as he leaned forward to check the ropes on Hitch's wrists. The guard reached for his face as he slumped to the floor.

The second guard spun, bringing up his rifle to shoot Tully. Moffitt rammed his shoulder into the weapon, pushing the barrel off to the side. The rifle went off and there was a grunt of pain from the driver. The truck swerved off course. Troy rammed his shoulder into the guard and knocked him off his feet. Moffitt's boot to his chin put him down for the count.

Hitch pulled his hands free and reached to untie Tully. Moffitt and Troy kept their eyes on the guards until Tully took a knife from one of the guards and freed them. They grabbed for the weapons as the truck rolled to a stop and the car carrying the Gestapo agents turned to see what was wrong.

Troy and Moffitt opened fire the second they had a clear target. The driver died just before bullets tore into both agents. Troy and Moffitt jumped down to check on their driver. Tully and Hitch secured the unconscious guards.

The driver was wounded but still conscious. He tried to escape from the cab as the sergeants ran around with their weapons in hand. He opened the door and tumbled to the ground in a heap. His legs gave out as he tried to get to his feet. Hanging from the door he faced the escaped prisoners with a look of resignation on his face. He was surprised when they didn't just shoot him like they had the Gestapo agents. His fingers slipped and he slid to the ground in front of the sergeants. One arm hung limp and blood seeped from the wound in his shoulder. Raising his good arm he surrendered to his fate.

The guards were revived and taken around to the front of the truck. They slumped dejectedly against the side of the vehicle and waited to see what would happen next.

"Now what Sarge?" Tully asked with a grin.

"We still have a job to do." Troy answered. He glanced at the truck. "Only we can't do it in this thing. The staff car is toast. We're going to have to find some better transportation before we go hunting again."

"According to our recently departed escorts we are on course to meet that convoy on its way back to its base." Moffitt informed them. "We were supposed to pick up a certain captain and take him along with us to our next destination."

"Are you sure about that?" Troy asked.

"That's what they told Dietrich."

Troy smiled. "Then we shouldn't keep them waiting. We can steal a patrol car from them."

"Better yet, we can take our jeeps back." Moffitt replied with a smile. "The captain claimed them as spoils of war. He's taking them back to his base."

"I hope he put gas in them." Hitch added.

"I would think he would have filled the tanks." Moffitt smiled. "They would have needed it by now."

"That's not all we're going to take." Troy growled. "That captain sent the Gestapo after us. We owe him."

"Troy, do we really have time for revenge?"

"Why not?" Troy asked. "We still need a prisoner for Captain Boggs."

"He's going to be right there." Tully agreed.

"Let's not keep him waiting." Troy ordered.

"What about these guys Sarge?" Hitch asked.

"Tie them up. We'll leave them behind when we go in after the captain. We can turn them loose after we get him back with the jeeps."

Tully and Hitch tied the guards more securely while Moffitt treated the driver's wound. Then they loaded their prisoners into the truck and Troy sent Tully to drive while Moffitt navigated.

"Hey Sarge!"

"What is it Hitch?" Troy asked as his driver called excitedly from inside the truck.

"Look what I found." He held a can of gasoline up for Troy to see. "With the can we took from the squad car we should have enough gas to get home, especially if Doc's right about the captain filling our jeep tanks."

Troy smiled at his driver's happy face. "Is there any food in here anywhere?"

"Sorry Sarge, I guess these guys don't eat."

Troy sighed in disappointment. "I guess we'll have to wait until we get the jeeps back."

Tully started the truck and they were soon on their way. The prisoners watched them warily as the miles sped past. Troy saw them watching and wished that he spoke German so that he could tell them what was happening. If they expected to get released they would give them less trouble than if they expected to die. He decided to have Moffitt explain it to them the first chance he got.

As the miles flew by Troy began to formulate a plan to get the captain and the jeeps back.

Hitch settled back to watch the prisoners while Troy planned. He didn't make the same mistake as the Germans; he stayed well clear of the prisoners.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Twisting Fates Raid **

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 7

"I saw movement up ahead." Tully announced. He stopped the truck behind a hill and waited for more orders.

"Get us as close as you can." Troy ordered. "Moffitt and I will go get our prisoner. You and Hitch find the jeeps. When you see the signal from us you can grab the jeeps and meet us behind the captain's tent."

"What do you want to do about the prisoners?" Hitch asked.

"Make sure they can't get loose and leave them here. Once we get the jeeps and our prisoner we'll lead our pursuit right past here so they spot the truck. Someone will stop to investigate and find them."

"Okay Sarge."

Tully parked the truck far enough away that the sound of the engine couldn't be heard in the German camp. The four of them made their way between the hills toward the wadi where the Germans were camped. As they drew nearer the two groups split up to look for their individual targets. Troy and Moffitt had a pretty good idea where their target would be. They headed for the same tent they had visited earlier.

In an attempt to make it more secure Captain Bachman had had his tent set up closer to the trucks. This worked out well for Troy and Moffitt since they could use the bulk of the vehicles to cover their approach. They scooted from one depression in the sand to another until they were once again behind the captain's tent. A small sound alerted them to another precaution that the captain had implemented. A single guard patrolled around the perimeter of the camp. His feet crunched in the sand as he checked on the officer. Troy glanced over at Moffitt and smiled at the surprise they were about to hand the captain. Despite all of his newly placed precautions they were about to enter his tent.

Tully and Hitch located their jeeps parked at the edge of the wadi. There was no one around to interfere when they went to retrieve them. The guards seemed to think that the trucks were much more important and were ignoring the jeeps in favor of watching the trucks from the convoy. Tully and Hitch moved as close as they dared and waited for the signal from Troy.

Captain Bachman hadn't had time to get the tear in his tent fixed so the two sergeants entered through the same hole they had used in their previous visit. The officer was sleeping when they entered. Moffitt took pleasure in hitting him in the neck with the edge of his hand. They lifted his limp body and carried him out the back.

Tully saw the sergeants emerge with their prisoner and bumped Hitch on the arm. Hitch looked over and smiled. Troy spotted them and motioned for them to bring the jeeps. Tully nodded and moved toward his jeep with Hitch close behind. A guard spotted them as they slid into the seats. He shouted the alarm over the soft purr of the jeep engines running. Both jeeps took off in a shower of sand as the Germans struggled to react. Bullets whizzed past their heads but both privates wore wide smiles when they slid to a stop next to the sergeants.

The prisoner was dumped into the seat and the sergeants manned their 50's. The jeeps took off with several patrol cars giving chase. They swung around and drove through the wadi where they had left the truck. One of the patrol cars paused to check the truck while the other two continued to chase the escaping Allies. The jeeps soon left the heavier patrol cars behind. Tully and Hitch pushed their jeeps to increase the distance between them and the Germans. After they lost them they circled around to pick up the spare gas they had hidden before reaching the German camp. With the extra gas they headed for home.

When they stopped to cool the engines the privates took care of the jeeps while Troy and Moffitt helped the captain to a rock where he could sit comfortably. This time they kept their eye on him, not giving him any chance to run.

"Why are you doing this?" Captain Bachman demanded of Moffitt. "Why me?"

The Brit smiled and shrugged. "At first you were a target of opportunity." Moffitt didn't realize he was using the same description that Dietrich had used. "But then you sent the Gestapo after us, you shouldn't have done that."

"It wasn't personal." Captain Bachman whined.

"It was to us." Moffitt answered flatly. He turned away and refused to answer any more questions.

"Hey Sarge, dust!"

The guard called a warning and Captain Bachman raised his head eagerly. Troy and Moffitt each took an arm and led him back to the jeep. Using a short piece of rope Troy tied him in the vehicle. Moffitt gagged him with a dirty rag. They slid into the jeeps and the two privates eased the small vehicles out of the wadi and along the base of the hill line. They were moving too slowly to raise any dust and were able to sneak away before they were spotted. Captain Bachman fumed in frustration.

Twice more during the day they spotted dust and repeated their earlier maneuver. Each time they were able to sneak off without engaging the Germans.

"They know about those Gestapo agents." Moffitt announced after yet another stop to allow German patrols to pass them by. "They're sending everything they have after us. The closer we get to our base the thicker the concentration of patrols."

"Then let's not go to our base." Troy decided.

"We have to Troy, the captain wants his prisoner."

"Headquarters wants their prisoner." Troy responded. "What if we drop him off at another base? Headquarters still has a prisoner to question and we avoid the heaviest of the German patrols."

"The captain didn't say where we had to deliver him did he?" Moffitt replied thoughtfully. "Taking him to another base might be just the thing we need to throw the Germans off our trail."

"What about gas Sarge?" Hitch asked. "How far is the next base?"

Moffitt checked the map. "It's a little further but not by much."

"We have enough gas to get back but not much extra." Hitch answered. "With all of this circling around to follow the hills the jeeps are using up the gas."

"Maybe we can steal some more." Troy suggested.

"That hasn't worked out so well so far Sarge." Tully drawled.

"I don't know what to tell you Tully, running into more German columns is going to use gas too. I think our best bet is to head back the way we came and try to make it to the other base."

"Dietrich's back there." Hitch warned.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"No Sarge." Hitch dropped his head and blushed at Troy's abrupt tone.

Troy sighed at his driver's reaction. "Okay, I know it's not ideal but it's the best we can do under the circumstances. Turn the jeeps around."


	8. Chapter 8

**The Twisting Fates Raid **

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 8

Dietrich learned about Captain Bachman's second abduction over the radio. He was leading another column to protect the convoy route when the frantic call for help reached him. Realizing immediately what must have happened he ordered his column to the rescue. They arrived to find the same lieutenant in charge of the convoy. He walked Dietrich through what had happened with a clear description of the Allied soldiers involved. "It was the same unit that took him before." The lieutenant confirmed Dietrich's suspicions.

"The Rat Patrol." Dietrich confirmed.

"We found the truck that they drove here. The men inside said that they escaped and killed the two Gestapo agents that were taking them to be interrogated."

"The guards survived?" Dietrich asked hopefully.

"Yes Captain." The lieutenant nodded. "The driver was wounded in the shoulder but the others were not hurt. The Americans left them in the truck where we found them. You can question them if you like."

"Later Lieutenant, right now we must go after Captain Bachman before the Americans can reach their base."

"Why do they want him?" The lieutenant asked.

"I don't know." Dietrich answered. "But I have a feeling we are going to find out."

Deciding that Troy would take Captain Bachman directly back to his base, the captain alerted the other German units to be on guard for them along the way. He sent men to locate the jeeps tracks and had his column follow them.

Lieutenant Guiles was the first one to notice the dust of approaching vehicles. He alerted Dietrich with a yell and a wave. Dietrich immediately ordered his column to halt. Before he could get his column into position to confront the approaching vehicles the dust disappeared. They watched for several minutes but no vehicles appeared and the dust didn't show up again.

"It could have been a dust devil." Lieutenant Guiles suggested, referring to the gusts of wind that formed little mini tornado type clouds as they rolled across the desert.

"No," Dietrich shook his head, "it wasn't erratic enough for a dust devil. No, vehicles made that dust."

"Where did they go?"

"They must have seen our dust and stopped too." The captain guessed. Making a decision he turned to face the lieutenant. "Take one third of our column and circle to the left. Have Lieutenant Hines take another third and circle to the right. Spread out and tighten the circle around the spot where that dust appeared. If we're lucky perhaps we can drive them right to this spot where I will be waiting. "Be careful Lieutenant, if it is who I suspect it is, they will fight to escape."

"We won't let them escape Captain." The officer ran to find Lieutenant Hines and pass on the orders.

Dietrich warned his third of the column to be ready as he watched his men circle around the distant hills.

As Dietrich suspected Troy and Moffitt had sighted his dust and had had their drivers seek shelter. Both sergeants were sprawled atop a hill with binoculars watching as Dietrich debated his next move. They saw him split his column into thirds and send two of the groups ahead.

"He's trying to drive us into a trap." Troy growled.

"It won't work, we know about it." Moffitt replied.

"Yeah, but they are going to have us surrounded."

"The column is stretched too thin." The Brit argued. "We can break out without too much trouble."

"But there is always the chance that someone will get lucky. I don't want to take any chances if we don't have to."

"What do you have in mind Troy?"

"We stay put. Unless they check every wadi they won't find us. Tell Hitch and Tully to erase our tracks where we left the road. Maybe they'll think the dust was from a dust devil."

"And if they find us?"

"We'll fight. If they check the wadi they will probably split up to do it. We won't have to fight all of them. They can't maneuver in these hills as easy as we can. As long as we stay off the road we have the advantage."

"Dietrich is waiting for us ahead." Moffitt reminded him.

"Yeah." Troy began to smile. "They probably won't shoot at us as long as they think we're running into their trap." He glanced over at Moffitt and laughed. "If they find us we'll head for the road and run for it. Just before we reach Dietrich we'll cut off to the side and run around him. It will take him a few minutes to get his armor turned around. That should give us a head start."

"I don't think Dietrich will be too pleased with that plan." Moffitt smiled as he made the comment.

"Me either. Too bad." Troy turned to look back at the two thirds of the column moving to cut them off. "You watch that group and I'll watch this one. We don't run unless they start searching the hills."

Moffitt nodded and shifted to watch the German column circle around them.

The columns passed them and then turned to close their circle. The vehicles were spread out to cover any escape attempt. The sergeants watched as two tanks separated from the rest of the column to begin searching the hills.

"Tanks." Troy grunted. "They're being careful. Halftracks we could take out but tanks would be a lot harder."

"Dietrich will probably put his tank in front to try to stop us." Moffitt warned.

The other sergeant nodded. "It's a good thing we aren't actually going to face him." Picking up a small pebble Troy tossed it at the jeeps. When it bounced off the hood of Tully's jeep Tully looked up at the sergeants. Troy used hand signals to tell the private what was happening. Tully nodded and turned to explain it to Hitch. When the tank began to pivot into position to check their hiding place Troy and Moffitt ran for the jeeps. Sliding into their seats they gave their drivers their orders. The two jeeps darted out of the cut in the hills right under the nose of the tank. The tank crew didn't have time to crank their turret around before the two smaller vehicles dashed past them and took off down the road. Small arms fire followed them but they were moving too fast for it to have any effect.

The jeeps headed straight for where Dietrich had set up his ambush. Troy smiled as he pictured the look on the captain's face when the jeeps veered off the road and went around him without stopping. They could hear the German motors start as Dietrich ordered his column to give chase. But Troy had been right; the jeeps could maneuver much easier than the heavier German vehicles in the hilly terrain. They soon left Dietrich and his column behind them as they continued toward the other American base. With most of the German forces already committed to cutting them off from their regular base Troy figured that they would have a much easier time reaching the other base. He ordered the jeeps back to the road where they could make better time.

They were stopped to cool the engines when their next challenge put in an appearance. Moffitt was on watch when the two small dots appeared in the sky. "Planes!" He warned with a wave at the sky.

Tully and Hitch grabbed their camo nets and began to cover the vehicles. Moffitt dropped down from the hill to help them. They had the nets in place before the planes passed overhead. Captain Bachman searched the jeeps for anything he could use to signal the planes but Troy caught him looking.

"Try anything stupid Captain and we'll be looking for a new prisoner. We need a prisoner but it doesn't have to be you."

The captain didn't understand the words but the tone was threatening. He blanched as Moffitt repeated the warning in German.

As soon as the planes were out of sight the jeeps made a dash for the base. There were fewer patrols to duck so they made good time. Tully and Hitch were watching their gas anxiously as the day wore on.

"How are we doing Hitch?" Troy called to his driver.

"We added the last of the gas from the cans and we're running low again Sarge." Hitch responded. "We should be all right if we don't have to outrun any more Germans. Every time we run into a patrol it burns up gas trying to avoid them."

Troy nodded that he understood. "Another hour and we should be within sight of the base."

Hitch nodded but he still looked worried. He was still frowning when the shell from a halftrack hit in front of the jeep. He jerked the wheel and hit the gas.

Tully's jeep raced alongside as Moffitt shouted to Troy. "We don't have enough gas to do anything fancy."

Troy looked over and gave a nod. The drivers prepared to split up and go on the offensive. None of them saw the plane drop out of the sun and roar up behind the two halftracks on their tail. By the time that Troy spotted its shadow the bomb was already on its way down. He yelled and the two jeeps split apart but he knew they would have to be lucky to avoid the blast zone. He glanced up at the plane and smiled. The big white star on the wings was a welcome sight. Yelling at Hitch to speed up, he watched as the bomb landed between the halftracks. Both vehicles rolled as the blast blew them sideways.

The plane circled back and the pilot dipped his wings in salute before climbing back into the sun. Troy wiped the sweat from his brow and tapped his driver on the shoulder. "Let's check out those halftracks but I doubt we'll find any survivors."

Hitch nodded and circled back.

Tully and Moffitt were just stopping next to the first halftrack. Moffitt looked over the wreckage and shook his head. Troy hadn't expected any other answer. He checked the crew of the second halftrack but there was no doubt that they were all dead. Leaving the bodies for a burial detail he ordered his team to go on. Less than an hour later they spotted the gates of the American base. Exhausted from their ordeal the four men dropped their prisoner off with the base MPs and reported to the base commander. The commander promised to take care of Captain Bachman after hearing their report. He insisted that they all be checked out by the hospital staff before releasing them to get much needed rest. They rested for two days before returning to their own base. By then the Germans had drawn back after realizing that they weren't going to be able to rescue Captain Bachman. The trip back to their base was uneventful after all of the drama of capturing a prisoner, being taken prisoner, escaping and taking a prisoner again.

Captain Boggs was waiting for them when they arrived at their own base. He left a message at the gate for them to report to him immediately. They filed into his office not knowing what to expect.

"I hear you ran into a little bit of trouble." The captain demanded gruffly as the four of them lined up in front of his desk.

"Yes sir." Troy nodded. "But nothing we couldn't handle."

"And you managed to bring a prisoner back with you."

"Yes sir."

"Does he know anything about the convoy routes?"

"He was leading one of the convoys." Troy reported. "There's a good chance he knows the other routes too."

"I heard from the base commander that you dropped him off at another base."

"You said headquarters wanted a prisoner, you didn't say where to deliver him." Troy explained.

The captain nodded thoughtfully. "That was good thinking taking him to another base. There was a lot of German activity around here for a few days. I was wondering how you planned to get through them."

"They were looking for us here; we didn't run into much in the way of resistance going the other way."

"I understand Sergeant. Good work. Now it's up to headquarters to get him to talk."

"I think he'll talk sir." Moffitt remarked. "He didn't strike me as the type to hold out if there was a deal to be made. Offer him the right incentives and he'll sing like a canary." The Brit suggested.

"I'll pass that along sergeant." Captain Boggs nodded. "By the way, one of our pilots says he saw you a few days ago."

Troy smiled. "If you talk to him again sir could you pass on our thanks? He saved us out there."

"I'll do that sergeant. Is there anything else I should know?"

Troy looked at Moffitt and shrugged. "Nothing special sir. We'll give you a detailed report in writing, but I can't think of anything else that needs to be discussed."

"All right then, I'll expect that report by the end of today. Dismissed gentlemen."

The four men filed out and the captain watched them go. He wondered how they would explain their capture and escape. The other base commander had sent him the information along with a glowing recommendation for their efforts to complete their mission. He knew they considered it just another day in North Africa but to him it was another indication of what kind of men they were. They wouldn't make a big deal out of it. He smiled as he watched them walk down the street. They could be a pain in the neck with their wide streak of independence but they more than made up for it in ability. He watched until they disappeared around a corner before he returned to his desk. Picking up the report from the other commander, he tucked it out of sight in case Troy returned with his report. He was curious about how they would spin their latest adventure but it would have to wait, he had work to get done.


End file.
